Life is Healthy

The Jakarta Post, Yogyakarta | Mon, 03/15/2010 10:25 AM

Yogyakartans expecting free medical services will have to join an insurance program with the option of a paid premium of Rp 5,000 or Rp 10,000.

The program is part of the Community Health Insurance (Jamkesta) scheme to be launched by the city administration in the middle of the year in a bid to ease financial burden on health services, especially for the less fortunate.

The program seeks to cover medical expenses of every city resident, without exception.

The Jamkesta is a health insurance scheme for every resident who has not been accommodated in previous health programs, such as the Provincial Community Health Insurance (Jamkesda) and Social Health Insurance (Jamkesos). The municipality has set aside Rp 16 billion (US$1.6 million) from this year’s provincial budget to support the program.

To take part in the program, underprivileged residents must pay Rp 5,000 in monthly insurance premium fees and Rp 10,000 for the more affluent. The members will have their medical costs for treatment in hospitals covered by the municipal administration.

“We are preparing a legal umbrella in the form of a local bylaw. It is currently being deliberated at the municipal council,” said Choirul Anwar, the Yogyakarta city health office head.

The Jamkesta ordinance, he added, had received a positive response from legislators and it was projected to be completed and approved by March this year.

“The program seeks health treatment accessibility for people of any walk of life and a healthy community is a main asset for development. So, we are very serious and will prioritize the health ordinance, but we need time to study the regulations in detail,” said Yogyakarta city council speaker Henry Kuncoro Yekti.

Henry expressed hope the Jamkesta program would not only make Yogyakartans physically healthy, but the program must go hand in hand with the campaign of a healthy lifestyle for every resident.

Choirul said his office was currently drawing up technical guidelines on the implementation of the Jamkesta, while waiting for its approval.

“We are currently discussing and preparing the draft and technical guidelines in detail.”

The municipality is forming the Public Services Agency (BLU), which will manage the Jamkesta program, subsidy mechanisms and data update, because the program must be supported with valid data.

The program, which is expected to cover 80 percent of the residents in Yogyakarta, serves as media to educate people about healthy lifestyle.

The program will be tried out in Tegalrejo, Wirobrajan, Pakualaman, Danurejan, and Umbulharjo districts by early August this year.

Head of the Yogyakarta Neighborhood Unit Discussion Forum Widayanto said he applauded the program and hoped the municipality’s campaigns would raise awareness among the people about the need to become a member.